The present invention relates to a method for folding hosiery items where the hosiery items are wrapped about a folding card and are folded, together with the latter, against an inclined surface extending at an acute angle relative to a lower belt, with the remaining portion of the hosiery item resting on that lower belt, and are then transported to two subsequent belts.
The invention further relates to a device for folding hosiery items, comprising a lower belt and an inclined first surface arranged above it, at an acute angle, as well as a pivoting belt that can be pivoted in upward direction between a transport position, in which it is aligned with the lower belt, and an inclined position, as well as two subsequent belts.
A method and a device of this kind, suited in particular for folding and packaging ladies' pantyhose, have been marketed for many years under the designation "wepamat BLM 751" (compare the leaflet entitled "wepamat BLM 751 hosiery folder").
In the case of the known device, a pantyhose is delivered onto two belts arranged horizontally one behind the other, whereafter a folding card is picked from a magazine by a swinging sucker and deposited on the pantyhose. At the same time, the rear belt is tilted in downward direction, and the forward belt is advanced, by suitable driving means, whereby the pantyhose is folded for the first time. The pantyhose is then transported onto a second belt, located in front of the tilted rear belt, and from there onto a further belt located beneath it and being inclined in upward direction. Another belt arranged above the latter and in parallel thereto, which is then moved in rearward direction, causes the pantyhose to be folded at its forward end, whereafter the pantyhose is folded once more by advancing the belts. The pantyhose, having been folded about the folding card in this way, with its rear end pointing again in forward direction, now reaches a lower belt above which there is arranged an inclined belt, extending in upward direction at an acute angle. In front of the inclined belt, there is arranged a pivoting belt that can be moved between a transport position, in which it is aligned with the lower belt, and a pivoted position, in which it extends substantially in parallel to the inclined belt. Now, the forward portion of the pantyhose, folded about the folding card, is moved from the lower belt onto the pivoting belt located in front of it, while the rear portion of the pantyhose still rests on the lower belt, folded over in forward direction. The pivoting belt is now moved in upward direction in order to fold over the forward portion of the pantyhose with the folding card contained therein and to deposit it on the inclined belt. Once the pivoting belt has returned to its position aligned with the lower belt, the inclined belt and the lower belt are advanced to cause the pantyhose to be placed on the pivoting belt, whereby it is folded for the third time. Thereafter, the pivoting belt is driven to move the folded pantyhose into the space between two subsequent belts, arranged in parallel one to the other, from where it is then transported, for example, to a downstream packaging unit for being placed into a flat bag.
It has been found to be a disadvantage of the known device and the known method that they always tend to produce a roll at the rear end of the folding card as the transporting and folding operations cause any excessive material to gather at the rear upper end of the folding card.
Now, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved method and an improved device for folding hosiery items whereby the risk of formation of such rolls is reduced.
In a method for folding hosiery items, where the hosiery items are wrapped about a folding card and are folded over against an inclined surface at an acute angle relative to a lower belt, with the remaining portion of the hosiery item resting on that belt, and are then transported to two subsequent belts, this object is achieved by the fact that the hosiery item is initially clamped against the lower belt, in the vicinity of the folding card, is then stretched on the folding card and thereafter transported to the subsequent belts, by means of the lower belt and preferably by means of the inclined surface which latter is preferably configured as an inclined belt. The object underlying the invention is thus perfectly achieved.
It has been realized that in the case of the prior-art device and the prior-art method folding the folding card, with the portion of the pantyhose wrapped about it in upward direction, by means of the pivoting belt has the result that the subsequent advancing motion of the inclined belt (inclined surface) and of the lower belt will always cause a roll to form at the rear end of the folding card.
The invention recognizes that this can be avoided if the hosiery item is initially clamped onto the lower belt in the vicinity of the folding card, and is then stretched on the folding card. When the inclined belt and the lower belt are then advanced, while the clamped condition and the tension of the folding card are simultaneously released, then the formation of a roll can be avoided, it being even possible to stretch the hosiery material to some extent in the area of the folding card so that any excessive material that may be transported to the rear will be compensated for by the tension of the folding card and come to lie flat on the folding card.
Further, in a device for folding hosiery items comprising a lower belt and a stationary inclined surface arranged above the lower belt, at an acute angle, and a pivoting belt that can be moved between a transport position, in which it is aligned with the lower belt and an inclined position in which it is pivoted in upward direction, and comprising further two subsequent belts, the object of the invention is achieved by the fact that there are provided a clamping device for clamping the hosiery item against the lower belt and a tensioning device for tensioning the hosiery item about the folding card.
The object of the invention is thus perfectly achieved, the formation of a roll of hosiery material at the rear end of the folding card during the folding process being avoided in the manner described above.
Alternatively, in the case of a method for folding hosiery items, where the hosiery item is wrapped about a folding card and is then transported into the space between two subsequent belts, the object of the invention is achieved by the fact that initially one of the two subsequent belts is moved away from the other, whereafter the hosiery item, positioned on one of the two belts, is moved into the enlarged space between the two belts, whereupon the two belts are moved together again.
This also counteracts the formation of rolls as the folded hosiery item can be moved without any difficulty, in a first step, into the space between the two subsequent belts, whereafter, in a second step, the other belt is approached again toward the hosiery item.
With respect to the device, the object of the invention is correspondingly achieved by the fact that one of the two subsequent belts is arranged for displacement relative to the other belt.
Certain advantageous developments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. With respect to the method it is preferred that the hosiery item is initially guided over the lower belt, is then moved together with the folding card onto a preceding belt, viewed in the direction of movement, whereafter the pivoting belt is pivoted in upward direction so as to fold the folding card, with the hosiery item wrapped about it, in upward direction at the acute angle, whereafter the pivoting belt is returned to its initial position.
This provides a favorable way of folding the hosiery item about the folding card.
It is further preferred that during transport of the hosiery item onto the pivoting belt, after the latter has been returned to its initial position, the inclined belt is driven at a somewhat higher speed than the lower belt, and/or is switched on a little before the lower belt.
This ensures that the hosiery item assumes its correct position as it leaves the inclined belt and the lower belt.
For clamping the hosiery item against the lower belt, in the vicinity of the folding card, an advantageous further development of the invention provides for a clamping slide which can be moved against the lower belt in a space formed between the lower belt and the inclined belt and which is preferably bent off in downward direction at its forward end.
For tensioning the hosiery item about the folding card an advantageous further development of the invention provides for a tensioning slide which can be moved between the clamping slide and the inclined belt and by means of which the hosiery item can be tensioned in the area of the lower end of the folding card.
This feature enables any formation of rolls at the rear end of the folding card to be reliably avoided.
The bent-off forward edge of the clamping slide facilitates the movement of the clamping slide into the space between the two belts and over the rear portion of the folded hosiery item.
According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention it is preferred that once the folded hosiery item has been moved into the enlarged space between the two subsequent belts, the contact pressure can be adjusted during movement of the two belts one toward the other.
This feature permits the pressure to be optimally adjusted to the particular hosiery item being processed, and the slight pressure further produces a slight mechanical hook-on effect between the different plies, whereby the hosiery item will be prevented from slipping and coming apart during the subsequent packaging and, if applicable, turning steps.
It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respective combinations indicated, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without leaving the context of the present invention.